Berenson to be inducted in U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Gordon (Red) Berenson, wearing the dark sweater, played for the Belleville McFarlands when they won the 1959 IIHF world championship in in Prague. He is to be inducted into the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame in December. (Hockey Hall of Fame)

Gordon (Red) Berenson, who played for the Belleville McFarlands when they won the IIHF world championship in 1959 in Prague, will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame on Dec. 12.

Berenson is among five inductees, also including Nashville Predators GM David Poile, retired NHL referee Paul Stewart, three-time American Olympian Natalie Darwitz and fellow former NHLer, Leland (Hago) Harrington.

Born in Regina, Berenson, 78, was a Montreal Canadiens prospect when he was added to the McFarlands roster in 1959 after they had won the ’58 Allan Cup as national Senior A champions in an exciting seven-game series against the Kelowna Packers — all in Kelowna. At that time, the former Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) was allowed to ‘beef-up’ the previous year’s Allan Cup winner, which automatically qualified to represent Canada at the next year’s world championship tournament.

Seeing action in all eight games Belleville played at the ’59 Worlds in Prague, Berenson finished tied for second in team scoring with 11 points and led the Macs in goals with nine. Only player-coach Ike Hildebrand (six goals, six assists, 12 points) earned more points; while future Toronto Maple Leafs GM-coach John McLellan shared the team points lead with Berenson wth 11 (four goals, seven assists).

Finishing his amateur playing career at the University of Michigan, Berenson was an All-America selection and Wolverines’ MVP in his junior and senior seasons, from 1960-62. He scored 43 goals and totalled 70 points in just 28 games in his final college campaign at Michigan.

Turning pro in the Canadiens system, Berenson was part of a Stanley Cup championship in 1965, then was traded to the New York Rangers. Berenson’s greatest professional break came when he was dealt to the expansion St. Louis Blues just seven weeks into the 1967-68 season.

Berenson went on to become the first bona fide star of the fledgling Blues and entered the NHL record books with a six-goal game — on the road — against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 7, 1968. Only Joe Malone, in 1920, had scored more goals in one NHL contest.

Berenson’s sterling NHL career included being part of the 1972 Team Canada Summit Series squad and six appearances in the league’s All-Star Game. Retiring after 17 big-league seasons, he had scored 261 goals and totalled 658 points in 987 games.

His playing days behind him, Berenson returned to his alma mater where he coached the Wolverines for 33 seasons — guiding Michigan to 11 appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four and two championships. He won 848 games against 426 losses and 92 ties, while taking the Wolverines to 22 NCAA tournaments — including a record 22 in a row from 1991-2012.

Berenson coached briefly in the NHL, winning the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year in 1980-81, but says going back to Michigan proved to be “a great thing.”

Upon learning of his upcoming induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Berenson said: “I never thought I’d be a college coach, but after my career I look back and going back to Michigan was a great thing. It was college hockey that prepared me for this situation and I hope I’ve helped college hockey grow.”

• Need to know: Berenson was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame five years ago.